I get asked this question quite often and so I wanted to break it down for you very simple so you know how the whole process works. (smile!)
I have even had some people think that its dying their skin which is not true at all.

Sunless tanning products emerged in 1960. The first one, QT or Quick Tanning Lotion, produced a quite non realistic orange color. Since then sunless tanning products (also called self tanners) has evolved tremendously, mainly thanks to the introduction of spray and airbrush tanning. All of the ingredients are dermatologically tested and approved since 1960. The substances are proven harmless. Sunless tanning is not dangerous in any way.

The Ingredients~ The most effective sunless tanning ingredient is DHA (dihydroxyacetone). DHA is a colorless sugar that interacts with dead cells located in the upper layer of the skin (epidermis). As the sugar binds with the dead skin cells, a color change occurs. Erythrulose, also a sugar, is another important substance in the sunless tanning solution. When used in combination with DHA it provides a longer lasting and more natural looking tan than DHA alone. The tan usually lasts five to seven days depending on your skin.

Does The Tan Fade? Just like an ordinary tan achieved thru sunbathing, the sunless tan will fade. The reason is simple: Every day, millions of dead skin cells are sloughed off or worn away from the surface of your skin. In fact, every 35 to 45 days, you have an entirely new outer skin layer (epidermis). This is why the tan will gradually fade. As the dead cells are worn away, so is the tan. Fading of this kind applies to all tans, both sunless and real. To maintain your tan, simply get sprayed 2-3 times a month.

I have many curious clients ask me whats in my solutions and how it benefits their skin, so I thought I would divulge a few of my wonderful ingredients so you can see what sets apart my solutions from my other sunless business's!

First off all of my solutions use Eco-Certified DHA which the European form for Organic DHA. Its more gentle and free of  impurities and produces a more realistic color as well. It may not last as long as regular DHA but I think its important to be aware and knowledgeable about what we put on our skin.

Some of the key ingredients found in my solutions that hold wonderful properties for your skin are; Organic Aloe vera, Organic Coffee bean extract (to tighten skin!) Oregon Grape extract, Hyaluronic acid, Organic Green tea, Organic Red Roobios tea, Organic Bergamot oil, Organic Chinese Jojoba see oil, Evening primrose oil and Squaline oil to name a few.

When looking for the most healthy sunless tan remember what goes into the bottle makes as much difference as the person applying it and their experience. I recently found out about an ingredient that is used in quite a few sunless solutions and many booth solutions that is a form of Formaldehyde! (not one of mine contain this ingredient!)   So ask questions and be in the know about your sunless sessions.

Cheers!

Awww spring is finally close enough to touch and I'm so very happy about that! I love to see the spring flowers and warmer temps coming back slowly and people are starting to uncover a little now.

As every spring I like to post a reminder of spring tips to get the most out of your sunless tan. For the most part we have been covered up thru another Seattle winter. Now its time to start up with our beauty routine for the upcoming summer season.

One very important habit to get into is exfoliating and make it a habit...period. Its the only beauty secret that is practically free... ok so a puff is a couple bucks.  BUT the rewards are glowing skin that is softer and less dull and flaky...so much prettier than flakes. Yikes!

When prepping for your tan make sure to do it as much as you can before your session as possible, gently but thoroughly. Use a good quality hydrating lotion everynight up till your appt. Remember to use oil based exfoliants 48hr or more ahead of time to make sure the residue is off your skin. Get those mani/Pedi's day before and waxing 2days before your session as well. When doing sugaring you have no worries I can actually tan you right after with ease.

Keep the day of your session simple..nothing on your skin. Please do not exfoliate right before  your appt. as opening up pores right before is not the best idea.
One more little tip...Stop spraying perfume directly on your chest, it leads to splotchy skin and so not attractive. (Wink!)

Cheers Lovelies and Looking forward to bringing your glow to your front door!

What many of you don't know about the sunless industry is there are many solutions for a business to use on clients. From very cheap to high end solutions which offer a 2 for 1 skin treatment while you process. I do weekly research to know whats new on the market so that I'm using the best products I can for your tan. One amazing ingredient is Hyaluronic Acid....read on to find out about this Anti-Aging powerhouse.

A spotlight on ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid  and what it does for the skin is really amazing. It something your body produces naturally but decreases as we get older. Here are just a few of the benefits of this magic Anti-Aging ingredient; It attracts and binds water within the cells in the tissue under the skin. Literally acting like a sponge to retain supple firm skintone and youthful appearance. It actually can absorb 1,000 x's its weight in water with in the skins tissue. Very few products use the amazing ingredient due to its significant cost in comparison to inferior ingredients.  Not only does it deliver results it supplies the skin with superior hydration and other important elements to fight lines and wrinkles on a regular basis.

In my sunless Prep its actually the 4th ingredient which is why I call it my insurance especially dealing with winter skin in the NW. My Organic based solutions also contain Hyaluronic acid in high quantities as well as other Organic elements like Organic aloe, Organic Chinese Jojoba sees oil, Organic Caffeine seed and Organic essential oils.

So now you have an idea of why prices for a sunless tan range from 20.00 up to 75.00 or more. You do get what you pay for when looking for a sunless tan, so be a client in the know and ask your tech about the ingredients in their solutions.

Cheers!

Now that the Christmas holiday is over next up on the Calendar is NYE 2011! I wanted to give a few tips on looking amazing...whether or not your going to the hottest party in town or staying home with your sweetie.

As always first up is sloughing off that dead skin, I really can't say enough of this beauty ritual that is soooo good for your skin on many levels. Besides doing it for your sunless tan it can help with breakouts, dry skin and even lessen unevenness in the skin tone.

To give your skin more TLC  and ease dry skin would be to add some essential oils to your bath, keeping the water warm not HOT which is even more drying to the epidermis. After your bath make sure to pat dry with your towel as you would when you have your sunless glow to help seal in the oils from your bath. Follow up with a high quality lotion to seal in even more moisture...your skin will feel amazing.

One easy and free thing you can do for your skin is to make sure you drink enough water. Keeping hydrated from the inside out is very important for glowing skin, it will also help your sunless tan last longer as well. My clients that use a good lotion and drink adequate amounts of H2O notice a difference in their tan lasting longer, taking more evenly (less dry patchy areas) So drink up gals!

Finally when you have made these tips part of your beauty regimen the difference in how you will feel about the biggest organ on you will be amazing. Confidence in how you feel about yourself is sexy...period!

Cheers Lovelies!

It seems I come up against this alot in what I do and thats a certain stigma that sunless tanning has associated with it. Alot of people who have tried some form of sunless...a booth, hand applied or sprayed on by a tech.

The problem is people think... well I won't do that again it didn't work or looked horrible because it was spotty or way to dark for your skin tone. Most consumers don't know that the sunless industry is not regulated, so ANYONE can go pick up a machine and solutions and just start spraying people. All they need is a business license with the state and county they are operating a business in...thats all.

Some sunless companies offer training when you  buy a package with them but always an additional cost, most think.. "oh this is easy I don't need to spend money on training" IF it was sooooo easy how come there are so many bad spray tans out there?

Alot of bad tans come from unprepared clients and technicians who have no idea about skin, skin tones or know even how to do a consultation.

When looking for a professional check out their reviews, ask about training and ask questions about them and their reason for offering this service. You as a client have a right to know that who will be spraying you knows what they are doing before you even make an appointment. Be proactive in your own glow!

Cheers Lovelies!